Blackpool is on the move

Over the last five years, Blackpool has brought together a unique local partnership between the council, businesses and the voluntary sector, supported by Business in the Community, to find new ways to tackle the town’s long-standing issues together. 

The plan includes the protection of over 10,000 jobs, and growing the economy by £1bn. Blackpool is ready to be turbocharged to become a vibrant place to live and an attractive destination for tourists, businesses and investors.

The Blackpool Pride of Place Partnership is a flagship initiative of Business in the Community. Jane Cole, one of the Pride of Place board members and managing director of Blackpool Transport, shared her insights with Chris Brown from Brown & Co. 

Both are members of the Responsible Business Network, a network created by the Blackpool Pride of Place Partnership, and are committed to supporting the local community.

What makes Blackpool a great place for business?

Blackpool has changed and is changing even further. It’s not just a coastal resort anymore. 

It has two enterprise zones, great business networks, high-speed internet connectivity and a great transport network including mainline trains, tram and buses, improvements to roads and the possibility of tramway extensions. So all the infrastructure is coming together. 

You've got the ability to have your business here, be in a great location which is healthy, but also connected to Manchester, Liverpool and further afield through the train network. It’s going to become like the epicentre of somewhere to do great business and to live, but to be able to connect as well.

How does the Responsible Business Network help?

The local business people are really harnessing their ability to be able to show that by working together they can help to tackle some of the bigger issues in Blackpool. Government will be able to see that we're trying to do our bit as well as just asking for funding all the time. 

The network has started to grow now and a lot of the local businesses are using their skills and resources to go into schools and colleges, so that our younger people are really getting the fact that Blackpool has a lot of investment – why wouldn't you want to stay and live here?

Blackpool is somewhere you can promote your business by showing you’ve got social corporate responsibility to this town, and by giving a bit back that's where you get a return on investment.  

Click here to watch more from the interview with Jane Cole.

Brown & Co is a fast-growing and dynamic firm of chartered accountants. We support and propvide growth strategies to many large clients in Blackpool and further afield in Lancashire. Talk to us for no-nonsense, straight-talking advice about taking your organisation to the next level.